Contact Isolation: Do YOU always gown up?

[RNDreamer]

There have been situations when I was the only person in the room to gown and glove up when with a patient on contact isolation. I have seen family members in the room wearing nothing, but I guess I don't really expect them to follow the rules.

However, my question is geared towards staff members. I have seen nursing/NA staff go into a room with no gown or gloves and perform procedures such as cleaning up the patient. Because I never know the Dx of the patient, I don't know if it's me who is overreacting or the staff members who are wrong. (Maybe the PT is no longer on contact isolation but they forgot to take the sign down.)

But it still has me wondering. I always gown and glove up when entering a contact isolation room. Do you?

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

I would wear a gown, gloves, mask etc.....if I had an astronaut suit I would probably wear that to better protect myself lol.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I gown up only if I am going to be coming in direct contact with the pt (such as an assessment or procedure). If I'm taking in a food tray or some linens, no I do not.

[RNDreamer]

I gown up only if I am going to be coming in direct contact with the pt (such as an assessment or procedure). If I'm taking in a food tray or some linens, no I do not.

That, I can understand. I was referring to the staff that actually come in direct contact w/the PT.

[klone, MSN, RN]

It also depends on the situation.

If I have a healthy pt who tested positive for MRSA 4 years ago and we're awaiting a culture result and she has no sores on her body, then no, I don't always gown up, even if I am doing direct pt care.

[RNDreamer]

It also depends on the situation.

If I have a healthy pt who tested positive for MRSA 4 years ago and we're awaiting a culture result and she has no sores on her body, then no, I don't always gown up, even if I am doing direct pt care.

Thanks so much for the response. It's helping me to understand which situations would and wouldn't call for the gown up.

[Ellekat]

I gown up if I'm cleaning the patient, changing a dressing, etc. If I'm adjusting the IV rate, changing the channel for tha patient, etc., I wear gloves. It also depends on my knowledge of the patient's condition-C-diff contained in an ostomy bag VS an incontinent patient (if I'm not draining the ostomy bag), whether it's MRSA or a hx of MRSA with two negative results that haven't reached Infection Control's list yet. What I'd really like to see is a policy that requiredanitseptic hand wipes for the patient at the bedside and a mandatory wiping down of bed rails every shift. Oh, and a wastebasket at the bedside and by the sink would be nice.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

I recently had a patient with contact precautions. If I went in just to give him his pills no I didn't gown/glove up. I made sure I wash my hands and used hand sanitizer afterward.

If I had to come into contact with his blood(fingerstick or any injections) I would gown and glove up.

[calidonrnstudent, BSN, RN]

I work in an LTC facility where we usually know why the person is in isolation and how serious it is. It never seems to matter how serious the infection is, people still refuse to gown up. We had a patient who was on contact isolation, and the CNA I was with said just to wear gloves because we were only moving the pt. I can see were she would feel gloves were appropriate for the situation, but if you really think about it they were not. The pt grabs the bed rail you are leaning on and they lay in the sheets that are touching your clothes therefore if anything was on the bed rails or sheets it is now on your clothes for you to walk around with and touch are pts, and go home to your family with it on your clothes. Maybe I am to cautious, but if there on isolation I will always gown up.

[bsrn0523]

If I come within three feet of the p/t I gown up.

[kaliRN]

Originally posted by

klone

"I gown up only if I am going to be coming in direct contact with the pt (such as an assessment or procedure). If I'm taking in a food tray or some linens, no I do not."

This. Unless IC is making rounds, then I do it whenever I enter the room. I also gown and glove up on entering the room if there are visitors. It won't be me encouraging non-compliance by example.

[butterfly journey]

Well I'm still just a nursing student but one of my clinicals for this last semester was at a specialty hospital where they treat a lot of wounds, many of which are MRSA positive. It was amazing because EVERY single patient was on contact-precaution. I had to take vitals on at least 8 patients during the mornings and let me tell you gowning and gloving were a major PAIN IN THE REAR. But knowing what they had or had a history of having, I still did it every time I entered EVERY room. My neighbor actually works there and she said it is extremely unusual for anyone including the docs to NOT gown/glove. They are a major hospital and they have "secret guests" who monitor them, so if you are caught NOT doing it, it's considered an infraction against the facility.